STRATHALBYN
Yarding: 730
Steers to $2340 & $7.99/kg
Heifers to $1800 & $7.81/kg
Cows w CAF to $3500
JUST how high can cattle prices continue to climb was the question on everyone's lips at a record-setting Strathalbyn store sale on Friday last week.
A quality yarding of close to 700 head drew in buyers from across SA, including the regular feedlotters plus background buyers from as far afield as the Mid North, West Coast, Hills and Fleurieu and a strong South East contingent.
The competition and continued confidence in the cattle job resulted in a 40 to 60 cents-a-kilogram increase across the board on the rates paid in July at the same saleyard.
Nutrien quoted 300-360kg steers from $5.11/kg to $5.96/kg, 250-300kg steers from $5.40/kg to $6.38/kg and those under 250kg made $7.07/kg to $8/kg.
On the heifers, 300-360kg animals made $4.47-$5.72/kg, the 250-300kg weight range demanded $5.38-$5.96 and thos in the 200-250kg bracket sold for $6.40-$7/kg.
A 196kg pen of Angus heifers were knocked down for $7.81/kg.
"There's feed starting to boom and a bit of sunshine around, which is helping confidence to new levels," Nutrien Strathalbyn agent Ben Dickenson said.
"We're in record-setting territory at the moment.
"It's a credit to the vendors who got their cattle into that sort of condition at this time of year.
"We had a fair bit of weight through the front end - feeder cattle that were well supported by regular feedlot buyers, and then we had a big crowd of buyers from across SA on those backgrounding types."
Elders' Danny Reynolds said prices had skyrocketed compared to the sale six weeks ago.
He said Elders' steer offering was generally 40 to 50c cents dearer, with steers over 330kg averaging $2220.
"The heifer portion were even stronger again, ranging from 55-95c dearer," he said.
Topping the steer offering were eight Angus steers, av 428kg, from CJ&SL Wingrove, which were bought by Thomas Foods International for $2340 or $5.47/kg.
Two steers, av 416kg, from TJ Steed, Strathalbyn, were bought for $2320, or $5.58/kg, also by TFI.
Also cracking $2000 were eight August/September 2020-drop Limousin steers, av 380kg, from GH&PG Hand, Murray Bridge, which made $2110 or $5.55/kg.
Nine 358kg Angus steers from Monmouth Lodge, Strathalbyn, were purchased by TFI for $2060 or $5.75/kg.
Receiving $1930 or $5.92/kg for ten 326kg Angus steers were Kuitpo View, Prospect Hill, while eight Angus and Angus cross steers, av 307kg, made $1830 or $5.96/kg for Fullerville Inv, Adelaide Plains.
Many of the steers under 300kg attracted in excess of $6/kg.
Another yard of Kuitpo View Angus steers, av 270kg, sold for $1730 or $6.41/kg, with nine Boonarkm-blood Angus cross steers, av 264kg, from Tolderol, Langhorne Creek, making $1700 or $6.44/kg.
Reaching $6.53/kg or $1540 were nine Angus steers, av 236kg, from Kevron, while three Murray Grey steers, av 188kg, from SP&C Ollett, Murray Bridge, were knocked down for $1300 or $6.91/kg.
Lightweight steers made close to $8/kg, with six January-drop 184kg Angus/Herefords from SP Estate, Murray Bridge, sold for $1470 or $7.99/kg and seven Angus steers, av 209kg, making $1480 or $7.08/kg for Plainview Holdings.
Heifers peaked at $1800 for 10 August/September 2020-drop Speckle Parks, av 305kg, from DJ&RJ Neumann, Yumali, with 11 Angus heifers, av 340kg, from Lallawa Grazing, Meningie, making $1790 and 11 Angus, av 316kg, from HA Newman & Co, Meadows, selling for $1790 or $5.26/kg.
Receiving $1780 or $5.51/kg for 11 Angus and Murray Grey heifers, av 323kg, was MD&EA Hams while SR&SM Mason, Lobethal, received $1730 or $6.11/kg for ten Angus heifers, av 283kg.
Kevron sold a 15-head offering of 237kg Angus heifers for $1570 or $6.62/kg, with DW&SB Altschwager receiving $1570 or $6.65/kg for 14 Angus heifers, av 236kg.
Reaching an astounding $7.81/kg or $1530 were 12 Angus heifers, av 196kg, from Plainview Holdings, with SP Estate selling five Angus/Hereford heifers, av 184kg, for $1300 or $7.07/kg.
Cows with calves-at-foot sold to $3500 for 14 Angus cows with March/April-drop calves at foot from Muster Enterprises, Lobethal.
Six Angus/Limousin 2016-drop cows with calves-at-foot from Koonalunda made $3400.
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